Guide: Magic Path Booster Guide

[Micah]

There are 2 cyclops tarts, 2 titans, the snake guy, the chained spirit, and the manticore.

The lightning bolt cyclops has E3A2
The cyclops with the sword is E4
The chained spirit is E3D2
The manticore has 2/2 picks
The male titan has 3/2/2 picks
the female titan has 3/2 picks
the snake has 2/2/1/1 picks

This is just based on a random sampling from a test game I have, but it should be pretty accurate. The picks can double up, and I'm not sure what the distribution restrictions are. The air-clops is the best chassis by far, while the manticore is nearly useless as a commander, being AFAIK the only unit to not get misc. item slots.

Hope that helps.

Tangentially, I don't think level 9 summons are available in time to really help diversify a nation's magic/booster access, you'll want to have it done before then.

[Edratman]

It should also be pointed out that this guide is oriented towards MP. For SP, where you are virtually assured of getting the Forge of Ancients (a global all but the most expert SP player should consider mandatory), the +1 forging ability to magic paths enormously facilitates the forging of all path boosters.

FYI, I consider the Forge mandatory for my games, thus establishing my skill level.

[sector24]

Great comments all, I'll update the guide this afternoon at work and hopefully have an update in a few hours.

[Twan]

I think it would be more clear if you add a separate section for all "diversification summons" like
- spectres (their place isn't in death but in "how to start to developp earth, water or astral magic")
- unfrozen mages (how to get earth with water/death)
- faerie queens (how to get air with nature)
- naiad (how to get nature 3, and so nature 5/6 with boosters starting with W3N1)
etc...

[sector24]

I updated the guide. Thanks for everyone's comments so far! By all means keep them coming.

EDIT 1-17-2008

Added Micah's paragraph about the Ring of Wizardry and made several changes to emphasize its importance
Removed Jade Mask from the Death section (not a general strategy)
Removed "Army of Lead" from the Earth section. Technically everyone is correct, the base path is 5 but it can be cast with E3 mages. It was a poor example.
Fixed Forbidden Light requirements and bonus
Removed "Awaken Treelord" from Relevant Summons due to his lack of item slots to hold boosters
Fixed Robe of the Sea requirement
Added section about Rainbow Pretender
Added Ether Gate where appropriate
General revisions based on feedback

In response to some of the posts:

Bind Ice Devil is B3W3 to get to W3, so Sea King's Court is much more likely.

I've never had a Heliophagus with a Death pick. Does anyone know the chances of this happening and what level of Death Magic?

I've never had an Archdevil or Ice Devil with an Astral pick. Does anyone know the chances of this happening and what level of Astral Magic?

I do not know what the randoms can be on Ether Gate, Summon Spectre, Hidden in Snow and Contact Lamia Queen. I can be more specific if I know what the possibilities are. The manual just has something like ?2 which is very vague.

[DigitalSin]

One of the Archdevils has astral, and one of the Ice Devils does as well. I think they're both at level 1.

[vfb]

DigitalSin said:
One of the Archdevils has astral, and one of the Ice Devils does as well. I think they're both at level 1.

There are 6 Ice Devils, one of which has S2. Which one you get is random.

There are 5 Arch Devils, one of which has S3. Again, random.

4 Heliophagus are: B4, or F4B3, or D4B3, or D3B3.

[K]

sector24 said:
I updated the guide. Thanks for everyone's comments so far! By all means keep them coming.

EDIT 1-17-2008

Added Micah's paragraph about the Ring of Wizardry and made several changes to emphasize its importance
Removed Jade Mask from the Death section (not a general strategy)
Removed "Army of Lead" from the Earth section. Technically everyone is correct, the base path is 5 but it can be cast with E3 mages. It was a poor example.
Fixed Forbidden Light requirements and bonus
Removed "Awaken Treelord" from Relevant Summons due to his lack of item slots to hold boosters
Fixed Robe of the Sea requirement
Added section about Rainbow Pretender
Added Ether Gate where appropriate
General revisions based on feedback

In response to some of the posts:

Bind Ice Devil is B3W3 to get to W3, so Sea King's Court is much more likely.

I've never had a Heliophagus with a Death pick. Does anyone know the chances of this happening and what level of Death Magic?

I've never had an Archdevil or Ice Devil with an Astral pick. Does anyone know the chances of this happening and what level of Astral Magic?

I do not know what the randoms can be on Ether Gate, Summon Spectre, Hidden in Snow and Contact Lamia Queen. I can be more specific if I know what the possibilities are. The manual just has something like ?2 which is very vague.

Ok, here is info:

-Bind Ice Devil gets you a W3 and doesn't cost Water gems. Thats a big deal if you are setting up a Water economy.

-There are four Heliophagus. There is a B4, a B3D3, B3D4, and F4B3 (note that he can summon the Archdevils).

-One of the six Ice Devils is a S2, and one of the Arch Devils is a S3.

-Jade Mask is actually great for a Lamia Queen. With a lucky D4 pick on the Queeen you can go up to D6. Toss in a Skull Staff, a Ring of Wizardry, and a Ring of Sorcery and thats a D9 (D12 with the Dark Scepter instead of the Skull Staff, and D13 with the Robe of the Archmagi).

-Treelords can cast Transformation and turn into creatures with slots. Its pretty random what you turn into, but it can happen.

[sector24]

Ok, I understand your point about the Ice Devil now. Although I find it unlikely that a player has 88 blood slaves but doesn't have 35 water gems, I will definitely add it for completeness.

The other stuff is very useful, especially the Jade Mask trick. I never would have thought of that one on my own.

[Shovah32]

A player might have that many slaves and that many gems. But they might need the water gems for something else - or want a new water mage who can also fight without spending 55 gems on a Sea King.